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yLaHoo d Secretar y U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 NewJerse yAvenue , S.E . Washington , D.C . 2059 0 Re : Continuatio n of Alaska Airlines ' Essentia l Ai rServic e at Cordova . Gusta^us . Petersburg . Wranaell . an d Yal<utat . Alaska . Docke t OST-1998-489 9 J Dea rSecretar

yLaHood : Thi s lette ri s t o expres s stron g suppor t Alaska Airline s t o continu e t o provid e essentia l ai r servic e t o ou rcommunity . Th e je t servic e Alaska currentl yprovide d i s critica l fo rth e continue d acces s an d economi cwel l bein g of Cordova a s wel l a s tha t o f thi s entire regio n of th e state . Alaska' s curren t patter n of servic e - usin g je t aircraft - meet s critica l need s tha t woul d b e difficult , i f no t impossible , t o mee t wit h an yothe rtyp e o f servic e o raircraft type . Alaska' s servic e connect s Cordov a passengers throug h single-plan e servic e t o Anchorag e an d Juneau . Fro m thes e hubs , ou rcommunityca n acces s th e airline' s extensiv e rout e syste m an d benefi t fro m it s far-reachin g marketin g relationships . Cordova , a remot e coasta l Alaska community , i s no t linke d t o th e Alaska roa d syste m an d therefor e trave l t o an d fro m th e communit

yi s ofte n alread ydifficul t wit h sporadi cferr yservices . Communityresident s depen d o n regula rflight s ex-Cordov a s o the yca n pla n foo d an d shoppin g suppl ytrips , medica l appointments , busines s meeting s etc . Durin g th e busyfishin g season , loca l salmo n direct marketers an d seafoo d processin g plant s depen d o n regula rai rservice s t o mee t th e demand s o f seafoo d consumers an d fis h suppliers i n th e continenta l USA . I n th e summe rmonths , specialize d carg o jet s transpor t hundred s o f thousand s o f pound s o f salmo n t o Seattle . O n th e firs t da yo f th e commercia l fishin g season , Alaska Airline s transport s th e ver yfirs t salmo n o f th e seaso n vi a carg o je t t o Seattle , where i t i s hand-delivere d b yth e Alaska Airline s pilo t t o a n awaitin g fishmonge rfro m Pike s Place Seafoo d Market . Thi s i s a highl ypublicize d an d world-renowne d even t that occur s annually . Regula rAlaska Airline s servic e i s critica l t o ou rregion s seafoo d industry .810-110112-00 8 -";i-.:i.>v o Diitrh. i f' ; ;ii-;<-ine nUsiitO' d

Alaska' s servic e provide s essentia l carg o (freigh t an d mail ) capacit ynecessar yt o mee t man y o f ou rcommunity' s dail ynecessities . Alask a ha s demonstrate d it s commitmen t t o mee t th e airfreigh t need s o f th e communitie s i n th e stat e b yinvestin g i n th e first-eve rflee t o f 737-40 0 combinatio n aircraft . Thes e mor e moder n 737 s replace d th e olde r737-20 0 comb i aircraf t i n Alaska' s flee t an d provid e improve d access , capacit yan d comfor t fo rairlin e passenger s i n Southeas t Alaska . Alaska' s investmen t i n require d navigatio n performanc e (RNP ) fligh t technolog yallow s acces s t o airport s i n Southeas t Alask a durin g period s o f inclemen t weather , whic h enhance s th e reliabilit yo f th e airline' s servic e t o ou rcommunity . Fo rthes e reasons , w e respectfull yurg e DO Tt o selec t Alask a Airline s t o continu e t o provid e essentia l ai rservic e t o Southeas t Alaska , a s th e airlin e ha s successfull ydon e fo rth e las t thirt yyears . Sincerely ,

Executiv e Directo r cc : Susa n Kurland , Assistan t Secretar yfo rAviatio n an d Internationa l Affairs Denni s DeVany , Chief , EA S an d Domesti cAnalysi s Th e Honorabl e Sea n Parnell , Governor , Stat e o f Alaska Mar cA . Luiken , Commissioner , Alaska Stat e Departmen t o f Transportatio n an d Publi c Facilitie s